Important Dates in Chronology of the Goldendale Observatory
Prepared by James Day
196? Four friends in Vancouver, WA, Don Conner, M. W. ‘Mac’ McConnell, O. W. Van der Velden, and John Marshall began to work on a large telescope in a boiler room on the campus of Clark Community College. Steve Stout.
Group in Vancouver begins discussion about where to place the 24.5" telescope that is currently under construction with assistance and direction from Clark College. Goldendale, is a top candidate for this observatory location. Citation attached file 091, Goldendale Sentinel, Oct. 11, 1973
1964 John Marshall and his wife traveled to Ellensburg, WA. Central Washington College officials declined to take the telescope The Marshalls travelled back to Vancouver and stopped for lunch in Goldendale, WA.
Owner of the restaurant, John Tol, coordinated a meeting of the telescope builders with Goldendale city officials about constructing an observatory, Steve Stout
1965 Application is considered by Klickitat county for financial assistance to the federal housing administration with hopes of building an observatory in Goldendale. Citation attached file #225 Memorandum from John Lovorn, FHA.
1968 Sites in Goldendale considered, Lorena Butte ruled out and current site north of town is selected. Steve Stout
1971 The large telescope is completed and proposals considered for its new home location and various funding sources sought. Citation file #273, The Columbian Oct. 22, 1971.
1973 In April, Goldendale Observatory Corporation was established.
Work on the site and building was started after a ground breaking ceremony on May 10.
October 9th the mirror for the telescope was carried to the Observatory in Goldendale by private car.
Close to 400 people gathered at the Observatory site on October 13th for the dedication ceremony.
Washington State congressman Mike McCormick gave the keynote address that day.
1974
Led by O. K. Holbrook the first group to meet at the Observatory on a regular basis was the Goldendale astronomy club.
A young man,John Nielsen, agreed to volunteer as the first Observatory director.
1976
The city of Goldendale funded two thirds of the operating budget.
Bill Yantis was hired as the first full time director.
A single wide trailer was installed north of the main building for Yantis to live in to provide security for the Observatory
1979
On February 26 a grand celestial event, a total solar eclipse, attracted over 15,000 people to Goldendale.
NBC TV broadcast live images of the eclipse around the world.
Later that year, Yantis resigned as director. One of his assistants, Mike Uhtoff was hired as his replacement.
Uhtoff also resigned and Jim Turney replace him until a full time director could be hired.
At the end of the year, the Corporation hired Gary Fouts, who actually had a degree in Astronomy.
1980
The Observatory Corporation, led by retired physician, Dr. Gerard Timmer, sold the Observatory to Washington State Parks and Recreation, for $100,000 dollars.
1981
At the beginning of the year, Gary Fouts tendered his resignation. He stayed on until a replacement was hired.
On February 4th Stephen R. Stout was hired as interim director before the Observatory transitioned to State Parks.
Later that year, Stout was designated as Interpretive Specialist. For many years he was the only interpretive specialist in the Park system outside of the Olympia headquarters.
1982
Special observing events were started for viewing the Perseid meteor shower in August and the Leonid meteor shower in November. The Observatory was kept open for these events as well as Lunar eclipses and partial Solar eclipses after or before normal operating hours.
1985
From November through March 1986, Halley’s Comet was shown through the telescope to visitors. Hundreds of visitors each night came to see the most famous comet.
1986
The Friends of the Observatory organized and held an event called Halley Rally Fun Run.
1989
State Parks headquarters personnel directed Stout to come up with ideas for renovation and expansion of the Observatory. A small booklet was printed in which were the ideas for renovation of the Observatory.
2001
State Parks budget allowed some funding for upgrade work on the Observatory. A few things were accomplished.
2003
August 27 drew another large crowd to the Observatory on that evening to view the planet Mars which was the closest to the Earth since many millenniums in the past.
2007
In coordination with the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Goldendale a special event was held called the Blue Moon Festival.
There were various events scheduled for that last weekend of May. Astronaut Stephen Robinson was the invited guest speaker. There were special NASA exhibits at the Observatory and on the weekend and a Bluegrass music festival was held at E’Kone Park in Goldendale.
2009
Stout was allowed by State Parks Headquarters to write and submit a proposal to the International Dark Sky Association. When it was accepted the Observatory Park was the 7th park in the world to be designated as an International Dark Sky Park.
2013
At the beginning of the summer season, after hiring Troy Carpenter as Park Aide, Stout had a meeting with his personal financial advisor. Near the conclusion of that meeting his financial advisor told him that it was in his best interest to retire before the end of June. He did so and retired from Washington State Parks after working at the Observatory for 400 lunations (32 years, 4 months and 27 days). He was the longest serving Interpretive Specialist in Washington State Parks history
Group in Vancouver begins discussion about where to place the 24.5" telescope that is currently under construction with assistance and direction from Clark College. Goldendale, is a top candidate for this observatory location. Citation attached file 091, Goldendale Sentinel, Oct. 11, 1973
1964 John Marshall and his wife traveled to Ellensburg, WA. Central Washington College officials declined to take the telescope The Marshalls travelled back to Vancouver and stopped for lunch in Goldendale, WA.
Owner of the restaurant, John Tol, coordinated a meeting of the telescope builders with Goldendale city officials about constructing an observatory, Steve Stout
1965 Application is considered by Klickitat county for financial assistance to the federal housing administration with hopes of building an observatory in Goldendale. Citation attached file #225 Memorandum from John Lovorn, FHA.
1968 Sites in Goldendale considered, Lorena Butte ruled out and current site north of town is selected. Steve Stout
1971 The large telescope is completed and proposals considered for its new home location and various funding sources sought. Citation file #273, The Columbian Oct. 22, 1971.
1973 In April, Goldendale Observatory Corporation was established.
Work on the site and building was started after a ground breaking ceremony on May 10.
October 9th the mirror for the telescope was carried to the Observatory in Goldendale by private car.
Close to 400 people gathered at the Observatory site on October 13th for the dedication ceremony.
Washington State congressman Mike McCormick gave the keynote address that day.
1974
Led by O. K. Holbrook the first group to meet at the Observatory on a regular basis was the Goldendale astronomy club.
A young man,John Nielsen, agreed to volunteer as the first Observatory director.
1976
The city of Goldendale funded two thirds of the operating budget.
Bill Yantis was hired as the first full time director.
A single wide trailer was installed north of the main building for Yantis to live in to provide security for the Observatory
1979
On February 26 a grand celestial event, a total solar eclipse, attracted over 15,000 people to Goldendale.
NBC TV broadcast live images of the eclipse around the world.
Later that year, Yantis resigned as director. One of his assistants, Mike Uhtoff was hired as his replacement.
Uhtoff also resigned and Jim Turney replace him until a full time director could be hired.
At the end of the year, the Corporation hired Gary Fouts, who actually had a degree in Astronomy.
1980
The Observatory Corporation, led by retired physician, Dr. Gerard Timmer, sold the Observatory to Washington State Parks and Recreation, for $100,000 dollars.
1981
At the beginning of the year, Gary Fouts tendered his resignation. He stayed on until a replacement was hired.
On February 4th Stephen R. Stout was hired as interim director before the Observatory transitioned to State Parks.
Later that year, Stout was designated as Interpretive Specialist. For many years he was the only interpretive specialist in the Park system outside of the Olympia headquarters.
1982
Special observing events were started for viewing the Perseid meteor shower in August and the Leonid meteor shower in November. The Observatory was kept open for these events as well as Lunar eclipses and partial Solar eclipses after or before normal operating hours.
1985
From November through March 1986, Halley’s Comet was shown through the telescope to visitors. Hundreds of visitors each night came to see the most famous comet.
1986
The Friends of the Observatory organized and held an event called Halley Rally Fun Run.
1989
State Parks headquarters personnel directed Stout to come up with ideas for renovation and expansion of the Observatory. A small booklet was printed in which were the ideas for renovation of the Observatory.
2001
State Parks budget allowed some funding for upgrade work on the Observatory. A few things were accomplished.
2003
August 27 drew another large crowd to the Observatory on that evening to view the planet Mars which was the closest to the Earth since many millenniums in the past.
2007
In coordination with the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Goldendale a special event was held called the Blue Moon Festival.
There were various events scheduled for that last weekend of May. Astronaut Stephen Robinson was the invited guest speaker. There were special NASA exhibits at the Observatory and on the weekend and a Bluegrass music festival was held at E’Kone Park in Goldendale.
2009
Stout was allowed by State Parks Headquarters to write and submit a proposal to the International Dark Sky Association. When it was accepted the Observatory Park was the 7th park in the world to be designated as an International Dark Sky Park.
2013
At the beginning of the summer season, after hiring Troy Carpenter as Park Aide, Stout had a meeting with his personal financial advisor. Near the conclusion of that meeting his financial advisor told him that it was in his best interest to retire before the end of June. He did so and retired from Washington State Parks after working at the Observatory for 400 lunations (32 years, 4 months and 27 days). He was the longest serving Interpretive Specialist in Washington State Parks history